What the Kids are SayingQualities of a Leader
Carol Kerridge | El Amigo, asks Del Mar kids to comment on how they see our community. Authors: James (9) and Liam (10)

Liam (on left) and James working as a team for this article.
Photo Carol Kerridge.
Click on photo to enlarge.

As election time approaches, here are some qualities we think a good leader should have:

First, a leader should always be open-minded and know how to handle difficult situations. For example, he or she needs to know how to thoughtfully solve a problem. Some ways to thoughtfully solve a problem are to ask community members what they need or what they can do to help instead of just telling them what to do. This is a nice way to be open-minded because it gets a lot of ideas from a lot of people.

Next, a leader needs to look out for the whole town and be considerate of people’s needs, and should not tolerate bad sportsmanship. A leader should learn about what all members of the community want, and be kind and respectful in situations where people will be disappointed because they can’t get what they want. The rules should be good and fair.

Finally, a leader needs to be comfortable working together as a team. This way, instead of working alone, a leader could feel comfortable going to people’s houses to ask their opinion. Also, he or she would feel comfortable working with the whole City Council.